a prairie web companion » chicago

OpenTable pre-Thanksgiving Restaurant Week

bkim — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:21:31 +0000

OpenTable is sponsoring what they’re calling the “Appetite Stimulus Plan,” November 17-21. Prix Fixe menus will be offered at selected area restaurants. [via]

Arellano Deported

bkim — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:59:58 +0000

If you were holed up in a church seeking sanctuary as an illegal immigrant–I mean, undocumented worker–wouldn’t leaving be the last thing you should do? Elvira Arellano has been deported to Mexico after leaving her sanctuary in a Chicago church. She’s been deported before, so who knows, she may make a repeat appearance in the States.

It is so choice

bkim — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:33:00 +0000

This is a great article where the author relives a good chunk of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off by driving a Ferrari replica. He starts at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, drives to the parking garage at Madison and Wells in the Loop, and eventually ends up at Cameron’s house in Highland Park. I love the article because it was obviously written by a true fan.

South Loop Whole Foods Now Open

bkim — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:50:28 +0000

The Whole Foods in the South Loop is officially open. Chicagoist has the lowdown.

Boycott BP

bkim — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:12:53 +0000

BP plans on dumping more industrial waste into Lake Michigan from their Whiting, Indiana refinery. Most of the metropolitan Chicago area uses water from Lake Michigan. Even if we didn’t get our water from Lake Michigan, this would still be a bad idea. Boycott BP! Even Eddie Vedder thinks you should.

Biggest Whole Foods in the Chicago Area Opening Soon in the South Loop

bkim — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 06:25:32 +0000

The largest Whole Food store in the Chicago area will be opening in the South Loop on August 8: Sun Times article. The opinions on the store’s opening are mixed, but I think it’ll be good for the South Loop. I’ll be happy as long as the South Loop doesn’t turn into anything like the Clybourn corridor in Lincoln Park. Although, it would be nice if they opened a Costco here. I’m just glad that the Ikea store never materialized here.

Speaking of groceries, I really like Panozzo’s, the local Italian market down the street from me. It’s a small neighborhood market. The people there are very friendly and the service is great. They have a great selection of salumi and a decent selection of cheeses. Whole Foods and Sam’s Wines and Spirits both have better cheese selections, but you can’t beat the salumi at Panozzo’s. Panozzo’s carries the artisan La Quercia Rossa prosciutto. It’s made in Iowa, but even bests prosciutto made in Parma.

They don’t have the big sport bottles of Panna that I like, but you can buy those by the case at Sam’s Wines and Spirits. I’ve also found them for sale individually at Target of all places.

[via Chicagoist]

Screw Ticketmaster!

bkim — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:28:46 +0000

I’m disgusted with Ticketmaster’s ridiculous “service charges”. There have been several shows I’ve wanted to go to that I decided not to go to because the service fees were outrageous. Well, it looks like you now have an alternative for certain venues. You can purchase tickets for selected venues at certain box offices in the Chicagoland area. Check out Jim DeRogatis’s article in the Sun-Times for more information: Service fees got you down?.

Thanks for nothing

bkim — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:27:46 +0000

I got this notice informing me that my polling place has been changed. Too bad I got it after the election actually took place! It’s a good thing this information is readily available online.

Second ward residents, please come out and vote in the run-off election on April 17. If you’re not registered to vote, you can still register until March 20.

Thank you for voting!

bkim — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:42:23 +0000

Rick Kogan on Chicago Aldermen

bkim — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:51:27 +0000

Rick Kogan from the Chicago Tribune was on Eight Forty-Eight this morning. He provided some excellent insight into Chicago’s aldermen.

That big box thing seems to override everything. But, what I’ve discovered is, one of the big issues here is that balance; that tenuous balance between affordable housing and new development. I really think that’s the crucial issue… Are we going to yuppify this city a la Manhattan or are we going to be able to keep that wonderful, wonderful mix and balance?
…
You have fifty people, I don’t care what; you see 50 people in a bar, six of ‘em are gonna be alcoholics. Most of the people [aldermen] I’ve talked to–and this is a generalization–a handful I would consider idiots. I mean flat out, flat out dopes.